Chapter 0298

And when I do, Luca’s right there, holding me tight.

I tilt my head up, looking into his eyes, and he cups my cheek in his hand, looking seriously down

into my face.

“You win,” I murmur, and he bursts into laughter as I tuck my head under his chin, and press my

flushed cheek against his chest, and try to catch my breath.

Luca gives me a moment, rocking me back and forth, until I think he can feel me come back to

myself more completely. He kisses me softly on the side of the head. “You okay?” he murmurs,

curious and a little concerned.

I raise my head to glare at him a little, and then pass all of my emotions down our bond to him so I

don’t have to bother putting it all into words. He grins as he feels them – figures out that it felt

amazing, and overpowering, and delicious, and wonderful, and scary. All at once.

I just sigh and murmur that I’m fine, shaking my head at the understatement.

Luca tightens his arms around me and, and I can feel his own joy pulsing through him. “Wait till you

see what I can do with my tongue,” he murmurs.

My head whips up, my eyes a little wide, because if that wasn’t the full extent of it…

Luca just laughs, and traces the shape of my bottom lip with his thumb, and shakes his head,

staring at me like he could never look at me long enough. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispers, making

me smile. “And very sexy.”

This just makes me blush, and laugh, and look away from him a little bit, down at the floor, because

that I find hard to believe.

“What?” he says, brushing his hand along my jaw and turning my head to look back up at him. “You

don’t think so?”

“Luca,” I groan, tucking myself closer to him and looking away, blushing a bit. Because, I mean, I’ve

gotten used to the idea that I’m pretty, but sexy!? No, Daphne’s sexy, with her curves and her

smirks. But me? I’m just cute at best.

“What?” he protests, laughing again.

But I shake my head, sighing and looking up at him. “I just went to pieces in front of you in under

two minutes, and made the most ridiculous assortment of obscene sounds, and you want me to

believe I was sexy!?”

“Really sexy obscene sounds,” he murmurs, nudging me playfully with his nose, and I groan and

cover my face with his hands. “I’m serious, Ariel!” he says, laughing more and tightening his arms

around me, making me listen to him. “I could very happily spend a few happy days laid up in bed

with you, making you make those noises.”

“Oh my god,” I moan, laughing a little against his chest, but…not hating the idea. Not at all.

“I am not at all kidding,” he murmurs, but I’m immediately more at ease. Luca, he really does know

me – knows what I like, knows what will make me laugh, knows what I need emotionally and,

clearly, physically.

I sigh happily, dropping my hands and looking into his eyes, believing him just a little bit. Because, I

mean, the emotions that are coming down the bond to me match what he’s saying – he was very

turned on by it all. Luca simply nods, smiling at me, and I wind my arms around his neck. “And

when do I get a chance to wring some embarrassing sounds out of you?”

“Oh, five to six years,” he murmurs, grinning and giving me a quick kiss, “after I’ve had a chance to

lick every inch of you over and over again.” He quickly dips his head then, demonstrating his

meaning by giving me a long, languid lick up the length of my neck, making me shudder all over. I

laugh, unable to help it, every nerve in my body still tender from what he just did to me. I swat him

away, and he complies.

Luca’s face drops into more serious lines as he contemplates me. “I’m sorry,” he says, looking into

my eyes. “If that was…too much, with the bet and…pressing you up against the lockers. You’re just

very sexy when you’re all worked up, and I have trouble not…stoking the fire.”

“No,” I whisper, tightening my arms around him and pulling him a little closer. “I liked it too. I kind

of…” I hesitate, biting my lip.

“What?” he prods, smiling his pleasure.